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| Re: Councilwoman Koslowitz rips (abandoned Rockaway) train line @ C.B. 6 Queens (1159340) | |||
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Re: Councilwoman Koslowitz rips (abandoned Rockaway) train line @ C.B. 6 Queens |
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Posted by Michael549 on Wed May 30 12:31:50 2012, in response to Re: Councilwoman Koslowitz rips (abandoned Rockaway) train line @ C.B. 6 Queens, posted by GP38/R42 Chris on Wed May 30 08:21:25 2012. The MV combination and the revival of the abandoned Rockaway line are two completely separate issues.Yes, it was said, "That will never happen" but that's all they have in common. The creation of the current orange M-train was simply the decision by the MTA to do it. The tracks and tunnels were there, the track switching were there - all that was needed was the directive to send trains through those tunnels. Of all this was in the hands of the MTA. The creation of the orange M-train did not require millions of dollars, but I believe saved the MTA money, and allowed the MTA to do some other things. Yes there was storm and drag about whether the orange M-train should or should not be created - debate is good - debate is healthy. The revival of the Rockaway line is like the much dreamed about revival of the North Shore Rail line on Staten Island. An old abandoned rail-line with tracks and fossil remains in some places, washed out tracks and abandoned stations in some places, encroached upon land uses in some places, NIMBY and wanna-be NIMBY issues galore, transit boosters will little real power and no real money supporting the idea - all meaning millions or hundreds of millions of dollars of other people's money needed for the restoration - no idea from where the money will come - all to get persons to the places that they can already get by local buses or other subways. If the funding were to drop out of the sky like rain, the local politicians would be all over it in favor of re-building the line, and connecting it to "something" to make it work. Everybody likes pork - getting funding for a project of job #1. However in a time with restricted budgets and cutbacks, and no clear funding source, local politicians know that they'd have no reason to "jump on this bandwagon" in the hopes of getting "what exactly"? As much as some transit folk want a revival of the Rockaway line, or a revival of the North Shore Rail-line - convincing those with the money - the federal gov't - is not going to be easy. Does anyone really think that the city or the state is going to open their own wallets to provide the hundreds of millions for either of these projects? Mike |
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